Digitalis plant named ‘Takforugl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Digitalis  plant named ‘Takforugl’, characterized by its red-purple, burnt-orange, and yellow colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, columnar-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Digitalis×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Takforugl’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Digitalis plant botanically known as Digitalis×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Takforugl’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands during July 2006. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Digitalis cultivars having unique flower coloration.

The new Digitalis cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Digitalis purpurea breeding selection coded 1-6063, not patented, characterized by its white-colored flowers, green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, columnar-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Digitalis canariensis breeding selection coded 1-6055, not patented, characterized by its orange-colored flowers, green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, columnar-upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during June 2007 in a controlled environment in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2007 in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Takforugl’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Digitalis plant:

-   -   1. Red-purple, burnt-orange, and yellow colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, columnar-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower color and in having a smaller flower size. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color and in having a larger flower size.

Of the many commercially available Digitalis cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Illumination Flame’, not patented. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Illumination Flame’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar has a darker flower color than         plants of ‘Illumination Flame’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of         ‘Illumination Flame’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Takforugl’. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for 16 weeks in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the-overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Takforugl’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Takforugl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in July 2013 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in Elburn, Ill. in one-gallon containers for 16 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Digitalis×hybrida cultivar Takforugl. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Digitalis purpurea breeding             selection coded 1-6063, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Digitalis canariensis breeding             selection coded 1-6055, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 15 to 20 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 42 to 49             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 14 to 18 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a one-gallon container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             columnar-upright.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 58.5 cm. Width: Approximately 36.5 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of branches per             plant: Approximately 1 main branch, with approximately three             basal clumps.         -   Main branch.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length to base             of inflorescence: Approximately 21.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 1.8 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent.             Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of young stem:             144A. Color of mature stem: 144B to 144A with an overlay of             187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 60. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Rosette at plant base and alternate on             flowering stems.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Perpendicular or obtuse angle to stem.             Shape: Narrow elliptic. Margin: Serrate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 13.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             4.3 cm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Texture of lower surface: Moderately pubescent on venation.             Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A             with venation of 146C. Color of lower surface of young and             mature foliage: Closest to 138A with venation of 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 4.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 9.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color:             Closest to 146D. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Takforugl’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming throughout the summer.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             10 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme. Aspect: Erect.             Quantity per plant: Approximately 1. Fragrance: None. Length             or height: Approximately 38.5 cm. Width: Approximately             9.5 cm. Quantity of fully open flowers per inflorescence:             Approximately 33.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 10.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm.             Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color: 144B to 144A with a heavy             overlay of 187A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Single, campanulate, not persistent.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately             1.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm. Color: 145B with tip             of 71B.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate. Aspect: Facing outward and             downward. Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Width: Approximately             2.4 cm. Depth: Approximately 3.8 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5 petals fused at base forming a throat             and consisting of an upper lip with three lobes and a             single-lobed projecting lower lip. Shape: Obovate. Margin:             Entire, ciliate. Apex: Obtuse, with lateral lobes notched.         -   Upper lip.—Length of upper lobe from throat: Approximately             9.0 mm. Width of upper lobe: Approximately 1.6 cm. Length of             lateral lobes from throat: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width of             lateral lobes: Approximately 8.0 mm. Texture of upper             (inner) surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower (outer) surface:             Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless,             transparent. Color of upper surface when fully open: N163C             with 168B. Color of lower surface when fully open: 71A.         -   Lower lip.—Length of lobe from throat: Approximately 1.1 cm.             Width: Approximately 1.5 cm. Texture of upper (inner)             surface: Moderately pubescent. Texture of lower (outer)             surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface when fully             open: N163C with 168B. Color of lower surface when fully             open: 71A.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 2.7 cm. Width:             Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely             pubescent on lower portion. Texture of outer surface:             Glabrous. Color of inner surface: 71B with lower portion of             N163C with 168B and spots of 187A. Color of outer surface:             71A.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Cupped. Diameter: Approximately 1.2 cm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Width:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Densely pubescent. Color of upper (inner) surface: 137B.             Color of lower (outer) surface: 137B with an overlay of 187A             at apex.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem.             Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color: 144A with an overlay of 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4,             basifixed. Stamen length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Filament             length of fixed portion: Approximately 1.0 cm. Filament             color: 71A. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: 1A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1             per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 2.8 cm. Stigma             shape: Bifid. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color:             155D. Style length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Style color: 71A.             Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Ovary texture: Densely             pubescent. Ovary color: 144A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Digitalis has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Digitalis plant named ‘Takforugl’, substantially as herein shown and described. 